Panchgavya products launched by 2 siblings- 23-year-old Divya Sadhwani and her brother 19-year-old Chitransh Sadhwani, aiming to provide employment to the villagers and to give a boost to the economy. They launched a startup called Nandi Panchgavya Pvt Ltd by introducing Diyas, made from cow urine, cow milk, cow dung which works as a purifier.
Incubees: Tell us about yourself and your journey so far as an entrepreneur?
Divya Sadhwani: I am Divya Sadhwani, a 23-year-old Communications Student and a BA graduate from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. After finishing my graduation from Bombay, I worked with a digital marketing agency there and finally moved back to Bhopal in 2020. That is when I started working on a few ideas to start my own business and after starting a social media and content studio called Marasim, I began working with my family on ‘Nandi Panchgavya’ which is a business cum social venture to help generate livelihood in rural areas, save nature and save cows from ending up in slaughterhouses while giving rise to a parallel “Gobar Economy” in India. I guess I am still very young and an amateur to call myself an entrepreneur but, what I have learned so far in this journey is that there is knowledge everywhere and that we need to be open to unlearning while learning new things. The world is moving at a very fast pace and while we try to keep up with it personally and professionally, we cannot forget the ones who are helping us and who have helped us in reaching where we are and who we can and want to become. One needs to care for others while taking care of themselves and only then can we make this world a better place or be successful for that matter.
Incubees: Tell us about Panchgavya Diyas and how is it beneficial for people?
Divya Sadhwani: Nandi’s patented and SGS certified Panchgavya diyas are 100% ECO-FRIENDLY and POLLUTION FREE, with 0 carbon emissions and 100% OXYGEN, this is a gift of oxygen from Nandi Panchgavya to people. The cow dung, cow urine, milk, ghee, and curd along with medicinal herbs used in these diyas according to Vedic rituals help in getting rid of any negative omens present around us and hence attract positivity. Each diya is handmade and contributes to the income of villagers as well as saves cows from ending up in slaughterhouses while creating a parallel Gobar economy for the country. The diyas not only work as an air sanitizer but also act as manure for plants once burnt completely and put into the soil. The oxygen released from the diyas creates a positive environment and acts as a “mini havan” while giving you the benefits of the same. These diyas are also supported by studies done at IIT Bombay, therefore, proving its benefits.
Incubees: ‘Panchgavya Diyas’ is a very promising initiative. Tell us, how did you come about this idea?
Divya Sadhwani: Coming from a business-oriented family, since the beginning, I and my 19-year-old brother Chitransh Sadhwani always wanted to become independent business people or entrepreneurs while bringing a positive shift in the country. We wanted to give back to nature, to the flora and fauna, and to society in the best way possible. Soon after my graduation, along with my family, we came across the idea of Panchgavya products which seemed to fit perfectly in the type of business model that we wanted to work on something that helps the people and Mother Nature. We then started working on building an ecosystem that not only spreads awareness about these diyas but also provides every citizen of the country an opportunity to start earning on their own through our unique business models.
Incubees: Tell us about the machine that you provide to the villagers to produce more diyas while they earn their salaries helping in employment generation?
Divya Sadhwani: The diyas are made by villagers in rural areas using a patented diya making machine without the use of any water or electricity. Each villager has a capacity of making 1200 diyas a day through which they can earn Rs. 15,000 – Rs. 20,000 monthly. One machine does not only provide employment to one person but indirectly supports more people which includes the raw material supplier, logistics, and so on and so forth. Thus, it is an employment chain that begins to form supporting one person behind the other. We have so far been able to provide employment to around 1000-1500 people in villages across India and hence are working toward building an “AtmaNirbhar Bharat”.
Incubees: How are you saving cows from being slaughtered?
Divya Sadhwani: There are cows all across the country that are being taken care of in villages or Gaushalas by villagers. Unfortunately sometimes, due to the unfair circumstances and helplessness of these villagers, they are made to let go of the non-milking cows due to lack of resources and money. This forces them to leave these cows on their own on roads and places around due to which either these cows become a victim of road accidents or end up in slaughterhouses where they are brutally killed. As we produce these Panchgavya Diyas using cow dung and cow urine, the villagers can start using these ingredients from the same cows because it will still be helpful for them to produce this diyas and make an income for themselves. Thus, it has become a mission for us to not only generate employment but to save this essential animal that has such a strong holding and belief in the Indian community. It is our way of giving back to a cow who always acts like a mother not only to its calves but to humans as well.
Incubees: Ever since the pandemic hit us, businesses have suffered, tell the readers about your experience?
Divya Sadhwani: Nandi Panchgavya was an idea that was brought to life during the pandemic. It was just the right product for us to bring to the market because it has the ability to fight most bacteria around us when the diya is lit. The ingredients used, specifically the combination of cow dung and ghee, only produce oxygen when burnt together. As a result, it boosts the immunity of people around and makes them healthier. Cow dung in itself is a proven antibacterial that kills major bacteria around us and stops harmful radiations from affecting the human body. One such example is the Bhopal Gas Tragedy during which the houses and the families staying in gobar or cow dung-covered homes were safe from the lethal gas in the air and from the radiation. The houses did not burn down and the families did not suffer from any health problems because the cow dung absorbed all these toxic elements from the air. Therefore, the Panchgavya Diyas are the perfect health booster and air sanitizer that people need during and after COVID-19 to maintain a healthy life and body. We were thus very lucky and grateful that we had an opportunity in hand to help the country during this tough time and try to make an actual difference. Considering the “zero-waste” capability of the diya, we are also actively supporting the “Swachh Bharat” movement in India as the Diya is made from the excreted waste/ cow dung and also acts as manure for plants once burnt completely.
Incubees: What would you say to the upcoming entrepreneurs?
Divya Sadhwani: It is not always about the product or the brand. It is the emotion behind that, the purpose which has the potential to bring about a positive change in people’s lives. One needs to believe and keep in mind that all stakeholders need to benefit from the brand not just monetarily but in a larger sense that becomes a part of their daily lives and as far as all stakeholders are concerned, one should never forget the people or the team that made the brand what it is. It is literally teamwork that makes the dream work. You just need to find the right balance between knowledge and experience that your team brings to you and believe in it.
